EP1652243B1 - Elektrische kontakte für brennstoffzellen - Google Patents

Elektrische kontakte für brennstoffzellen Download PDF

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Publication number
EP1652243B1
EP1652243B1 EP04752793.2A EP04752793A EP1652243B1 EP 1652243 B1 EP1652243 B1 EP 1652243B1 EP 04752793 A EP04752793 A EP 04752793A EP 1652243 B1 EP1652243 B1 EP 1652243B1
Authority
EP
European Patent Office
Prior art keywords
electrical contact
fuel cell
electrode assembly
membrane electrode
array
Prior art date
Legal status (The legal status is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the status listed.)
Expired - Lifetime
Application number
EP04752793.2A
Other languages
English (en)
French (fr)
Other versions
EP1652243A4 (de
EP1652243A2 (de
Inventor
Jerrold Franklin
Eric Mettler
Current Assignee (The listed assignees may be inaccurate. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation or warranty as to the accuracy of the list.)
Altergy Systems Inc
Original Assignee
Altergy Systems Inc
Priority date (The priority date is an assumption and is not a legal conclusion. Google has not performed a legal analysis and makes no representation as to the accuracy of the date listed.)
Filing date
Publication date
Application filed by Altergy Systems Inc filed Critical Altergy Systems Inc
Publication of EP1652243A2 publication Critical patent/EP1652243A2/de
Publication of EP1652243A4 publication Critical patent/EP1652243A4/de
Application granted granted Critical
Publication of EP1652243B1 publication Critical patent/EP1652243B1/de
Anticipated expiration legal-status Critical
Expired - Lifetime legal-status Critical Current

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Classifications

    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0247—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors characterised by the form
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204—Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0223—Composites
    • H01M8/0228—Composites in the form of layered or coated products
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/023—Porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0241—Composites
    • H01M8/0245—Composites in the form of layered or coated products
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/241—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes
    • H01M8/242—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells with solid or matrix-supported electrolytes comprising framed electrodes or intermediary frame-like gaskets
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2465—Details of groupings of fuel cells
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/24—Grouping of fuel cells, e.g. stacking of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2465—Details of groupings of fuel cells
    • H01M8/2483—Details of groupings of fuel cells characterised by internal manifolds
    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01M—PROCESSES OR MEANS, e.g. BATTERIES, FOR THE DIRECT CONVERSION OF CHEMICAL ENERGY INTO ELECTRICAL ENERGY
    • H01M8/00—Fuel cells; Manufacture thereof
    • H01M8/02—Details
    • H01M8/0202—Collectors; Separators, e.g. bipolar separators; Interconnectors
    • H01M8/0204—Non-porous and characterised by the material
    • H01M8/0206—Metals or alloys
    • Y—GENERAL TAGGING OF NEW TECHNOLOGICAL DEVELOPMENTS; GENERAL TAGGING OF CROSS-SECTIONAL TECHNOLOGIES SPANNING OVER SEVERAL SECTIONS OF THE IPC; TECHNICAL SUBJECTS COVERED BY FORMER USPC CROSS-REFERENCE ART COLLECTIONS [XRACs] AND DIGESTS
    • Y02—TECHNOLOGIES OR APPLICATIONS FOR MITIGATION OR ADAPTATION AGAINST CLIMATE CHANGE
    • Y02E—REDUCTION OF GREENHOUSE GAS [GHG] EMISSIONS, RELATED TO ENERGY GENERATION, TRANSMISSION OR DISTRIBUTION
    • Y02E60/00—Enabling technologies; Technologies with a potential or indirect contribution to GHG emissions mitigation
    • Y02E60/30—Hydrogen technology
    • Y02E60/50—Fuel cells

Definitions

  • This invention relates to fuel cells.
  • Fuel cells are energy conversion devices that use hydrogen as a fuel and oxygen as an oxidant to generate electricity without combustion and without harmful emissions.
  • the voltage and current output of a fuel cell system depends on the number of cells in the stack, total active surface area, and efficiency. The basic process, for a single cell, is shown in Figure 1 .
  • BSP bipolar separator plate
  • MEA membrane electrode assembly
  • the hydrogen gas must be sealed inside the cell and separated from the gaseous oxidant (air or oxygen).
  • gaseous oxidant air or oxygen
  • cooling is required because of the heat generated during normal operation. This heat is commonly removed from the fuel cell stacks by liquid cooling, commonly using water as a coolant.
  • the BSP 12 be in intimate, continuous elecrical contact with the MEA 14.
  • fuel cell stacks have typically used a "filter-press" structure, where thick and heavy "end plates” 32, 34 are placed at the ends of each fuel cell stack 10 and are held together by heavy tie-rods, or bolts 38 and nuts 40, or other fasteners.
  • the "filter press” structure is an attempt to serve two purposes: (i) sealing the hydrogen, the oxidant, and the liquid coolant, if used, and (ii) maintaining intimate electrical contact between the BSPs 12 and the MEAs 14. see FIGS. 2 and 4 . Disassembly and analysis of fuel cell stacks built by traditional methods reveals that the "filter press" arrangement performs neither function very well. Such analysis has revealed evidence of incomplete electrical contact between BSPs 12 and MEAs 14, resulting in poor electrical conduction and lower cell performance. The analysis has also shown evidence of gas and liquid leakage.
  • the present invention is a further improvement that allows even better electrical connection between the BSP and the MEA.
  • US 20030104263 discloses an electrochemical cell that includes a first electrode, a second electrode, a proton exchange membrane disposed between and in intimate contact with the electrodes, and a pressure pad disposed in electrical communication with the first electrode.
  • the pressure pad is an electrically conductive sheet and is of a structure that is conformable to pressure variations within the cell. Methods of forming the pressure pad include disposing dimples or corrugations at the electrically conductive member.
  • a method of maintaining compression within the cell includes disposing the electrically conductive member and the compression member at the first electrode, applying a load at the cell to compress the cell components, and maintaining electrical communication through the electrically conductive member.
  • US 20020022382 discloses arrays of independent acting compliant electrical contacts are incorporated within a fuel cell which improve fuel cell Bi Polar Separator Plate (bipolar separator plate) which improve fuel cell operation by creating uniform and intimate electrical contact with the adjacent membrane electrode assembly (Membrane electrode assembly). These compliant electrical contacts provide substantial uniform internal pressure distribution and substantially uniform electrical contact.
  • the array of compliant electrical contacts are in the form of a plurality of metal springs of various configurations which are electrically and mechanical contacted to a conducting base plate.
  • the array of compliant electrical contacts are in the form of a plurality of small metal pins or rods which are electrically and mechanically contacted to a conducting base plate.
  • WO/2002/019451 discloses arrays of independent acting compliant electrical contacts are incorporated within a fuel cell which improve fuel cell operation by creating uniform and intimate electrical contact with the adjacent membrane electrode assembly (MEA). These compliant electrical contacts provide substantial uniform internal pressure distribution and substantially uniform electrical contact.
  • the array of compliant electrical contacts are in the form of a plurality of metal springs of various configurations which are electrically and mechanical contacted to a conducting base plate.
  • the array of compliant electrical contacts are in the form of a plurality of small metal pins or rods which are electrically and mechanically contacted to a conducting base plate.
  • the present invention relates to a fuel cell, which includes: a) A single flexible or ridged separator plate; b) a flexible membrane electrode assembly; ; c) a flexible bond interposed between said single flexible or ridged separator plate and said flexible membrane electrode assembly, wherein said flexible bond between said flexible or ridged separator plate and said flexible membrane electrode assembly comprises the fuel cell, and wherein said flexible bond is an adhesive bond which encapsulates edge-portions of said flexible or ridged separator plate and said flexible membrane electrode assembly and wherein said flexible bond seals the edge portions of said flexible membrane assembly to prevent the release of reactants from the fuel cell.
  • the adhesive bond comprises a flexible gasket; d) manifold for the delivery and removal of reactants and reactant products to and from the fuel cell reactive areas where said manifolds may be either a single or multiple manifolds; and e) a bond interposed between said manifold and said single flexible or ridged separator plate, wherein said bond affixes said manifold to said flexible or ridged separator plate and wherein said bond provides a seal between said manifold and said flexible or ridged separator plate to prevent the release of reactants from the fuel cell. It also eliminates some gaskets and simplifies assembly.
  • a fuel cell comprises a bipolar separator plate, an array of springs attached to said bipolar separator plate (BSP), a laminar electrical contact attached to said array of springs, said bipolar separator plate having a first side and a second side, said array of springs being attached to said second side, said laminar electrical contact being a conductive laminar electrical contact that comprises a thin plate, sheet or layer, said assembly further comprising a membrane electrode assembly (MEA) attached to said first side, wherein said laminar electrical contact has a length and a width, wherein said membrane electrode assembly has a length and a width, and wherein said length and width of said laminar electrical contact are approximately equal to said length and said width of said membrane electrode assembly respectively.
  • BSP bipolar separator plate
  • a laminar electrical contact attached to said array of springs
  • said bipolar separator plate having a first side and a second side, said array of springs being attached to said second side
  • said laminar electrical contact being a conductive laminar
  • a single laminar electrical contact or an array of independently-acting laminar electrical contacts can be provided within a fuel cell stack. This may improve fuel cell operation by providing substantially uniform internal load distribution to apply a uniform electrical contact across the MEA.
  • the springs can be connected to the BSP and the lamina in a number of ways, including electrical, mechanical or metallurgical connections, or combinations thereof.
  • laminar contacts can be arranged in a regular pattern, providing substantially uniform distance between contact surfaces, or they can be arranged in an irregular pattern, providing a nonuniform distance between contact surfaces.
  • the contacts can be made of many conducting substances, including but not limited to alloys of iron, copper, gold silver, platinum aluminum, nickel, chromium, and combinations thereof.
  • a method for maintaining electrical contact between a bipolar separator plate and a membrane electrode assembly in a fuel cell stack comprises providing an array of springs, attached to a bipolar separator plate (52) and to a conductive laminar electrical contact that comprises a thin plate, sheet, or layer, between said bipolar separator plate and said membrane electrode assembly (54), wherein said laminar electrical contact has a length and a width, wherein said membrane electrode assembly has a length and a width, and wherein said length and width of said laminar electrical contact are approximately equal to said length and said width of said membrane electrode assembly respectively.
  • Embodiments of fuel cell assemblies according to the present invention comprise a laminar electrical contact.
  • the purpose of the laminar electrical contact is to optimize the area of contact between the BSP or other electrical contact and the MEA. By optimizing the contact area, overall fuel cell performance and efficiency is improved.
  • the laminar contact can be used with many different kinds of fuel cells.
  • the present invention can be used with proton exchange membrane fuel cells (PEMFC), alkaline fuel cells (AFC) or phosphoric acid fuel cells (PAFC).
  • PEMFC proton exchange membrane fuel cells
  • AFC alkaline fuel cells
  • PAFC phosphoric acid fuel cells
  • lamina refers to any thin plate, sheet, or layer for improving electrical contact between cells of a fuel cell stack.
  • a thin metal BSP 52 is used instead of a traditional graphite BSP. See Figs. 5a , 5b , 6 , & 7 .
  • the present invention can be used with traditional BSPs, more typically the present invention would be used with thin metal plate BSPs as in the present embodiment.
  • the fuel cell module 50 of this embodiment has a single thin metal plate BSP 52, onto which the MEA 54 and reactant manifold 56 are assembled into modular units 50 prior to being incorporated into complete fuel cell units (stacks) 80. See Figs. 5a , 5b and 7 .
  • the BSPs 52 may contain a reactant flow pattern, and the MEAs 54 may or may not have an incorporated diffusion layer, as well as separate diffusion layers if needed.
  • the modules 50 also may have an adhesive or an adhesive backed gasket or seal 58 and manifold seals or adhesives 60 See Figs. 5a and 5b .
  • Other features depicted in the figures include tie rod holes 62, reactant passageway 64, and edge seal 66.
  • the embodiment depicted in Figs 5 through 7 has compliant members 70 and the lamina 72 for maintaining electrical contact between the BSP 52 and the MEA 54.
  • the compliant members 70 are springes. An array of these compliant members 70 are attached to each BSP 52. See Figs. 5a , 6 , and 7 .
  • the lamina 72 is attached to the array of compliant members 70, distal from the BSP 52.
  • the compliant members 70 press the lamina 72 into intimate contact with the adjoining MEA 54, thereby assuring continuous electrical contact with the adjacent BSP 52, as depicted in Figure 7 . Because of the compliant members 70 and the lamina 72, fuel cell stacks made according to the present invention do not require the heavy end plates and the rods, and the massive compressive forces required in traditional fuel cell stacks.
  • the lamina 72 may have apertures 74 to facilitate gas flow in the fuel cell module. See Figs. 5a and 6 . These apertures can be a variety of sizes and shapes, ranging from small holes to large slots many inches long. With these apertures, the lamina 72 not only improves electrical contact as described above, but also beneficially increases the turbulence of the cathode air as it flows over the surface.
  • Such a laminar electrical contacts approach is not limited by the size or shape of the application.
  • the lamina is usually between 0.005" and 0.100" high.
  • the forces (e.g. contact pressure) on the lamina within the cell are usually between about 10 and 1000 pounds per square inch, depending on the configuration as described herein.
  • the lamina may be as small as [1/4]" x [1/4]" (for very small, light, portable devices such as video cameras, movie cameras, etc.) to the large sizes required for homes, businesses, large buildings, or even small cities.
  • the lamina 72 may take the form of a single plate, as shown in Figs. 5a , 6 , and 7 , or the lamina may be an array of independently acting laminae, each of which is attached to a subset of the array of the compliant members.
  • laminar electrical contacts A variety of materials may be used for such laminar electrical contacts. Stainless steel or stainless steel with gold plate are obvious choices due to its resistance to the high humidity atmosphere associated with fuel cell operation and its corrosion resistance.
  • the lamina 72 may be of other material familiar to those skilled in the art.
  • a preferred method of fabrication is to etch or stamp the metal-conducting lamina 72.
  • the lamina 72 may be formed by other methods familiar to those skilled in the art.
  • the lamina 72 then may be attached to the compliant members 70 by welding, brazing or soldering or via pre-applied solder paste and soldered using conventional electronic circuit board manufacturing equipment and techniques or may be solely in mechanical and electrical contact.
  • the compliant members 70 may be attached to the BSP 52 by welding, brazing or soldering or via pre-applied solder paste and soldered using conventional electronic circuit board manufacturing equipment and techniques.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Life Sciences & Earth Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Manufacturing & Machinery (AREA)
  • Sustainable Development (AREA)
  • Sustainable Energy (AREA)
  • Chemical Kinetics & Catalysis (AREA)
  • Electrochemistry (AREA)
  • General Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Composite Materials (AREA)
  • Fuel Cell (AREA)

Claims (6)

  1. Brennstoffzelle, folgendes umfassend:
    eine bipolare Abstandsplatte (52);
    eine Anordnung von Federn (70), die an der bipolaren Abstandsplatte (52) angebracht sind; und
    einen laminaren elektrischen Kontakt (72), der an der Anordnung von Federn (70) angebracht ist;
    wobei die bipolare Abstandsplatte (52) eine erste Seite und eine zweite Seite aufweist; wobei die Anordnung von Federn (70) an der zweiten Seite angebracht ist, wobei der laminare elektrische Kontakt (72) ein leitfähiger elektrischer Kontakt ist, der eine dünne Platte, Lage oder Schicht umfasst;
    wobei die Brennstoffzelle ferner folgendes umfasst: eine Membranelektrodeneinheit (54), die an der ersten Seite angebracht ist;
    wobei der laminare elektrische Kontakt (72) eine Länge und eine Breite aufweist, wobei die Membranelektrodeneinheit (54) eine Länge und eine Breite aufweist, und wobei die Länge und Breite des laminaren elektrischen Kontakts (72) entsprechend ungefähr der Länge und Breite der Membranelektrodeneinheit (54) entsprechen.
  2. Brennstoffzelle nach Anspruch 1, wobei diese zusätzlich Öffnungen (74) in dem leitfähigen laminaren elektrischen Kontakt (72) umfassen.
  3. Brennstoffzelle nach Anspruch 1, wobei der laminare elektrische Kontakt ein erster leitfähiger laminarer elektrischer Kontakt ist, der an einer ersten Teilgruppe der Anordnung von Federn (70) angebracht ist; wobei die Einheit zusätzlich einen zweiten leitfähigen elektrischen Kontakt umfasst, der an einer zweiten Teilgruppe der Anordnung von Federn (70) angebracht ist.
  4. Brennstoffzelle nach Anspruch 1, wobei der laminare elektrische Kontakt eine einzelne Platte umfasst.
  5. Brennstoffzelle nach einem der Ansprüche 1 bis 3, wobei der laminare elektrische Kontakt (72) den elektrischen Kontakt zwischen der Anordnung von Federn (70) und der Membranelektrodeneinheit (54) in dem Brennstoffzellenstapel aufrechterhält.
  6. Verfahren zum Aufrechterhalten des elektrischen Kontakts zwischen einer bipolaren Abstandsplatte (52) und einer Membranelektrodeneinheit (54) in einem Brennstoffzellenstapel, umfassend das Bereitstellen einer Anordnung von Federn (70), die an der bipolaren Abstandsplatte (52) und an einem leitfähigen laminaren elektrischen Kontakt (72) angebracht sind, der eine dünne Platte, Lage oder Schicht zwischen der bipolaren Abstandsplatte (52) und der Membranelektrodeneinheit (54) umfasst;
    wobei der laminare elektrische Kontakt (72) eine Länge und eine Breite aufweist, wobei die Membranelektrodeneinheit (54) eine Länge und eine Breite aufweist, und wobei die Länge und Breite des laminaren elektrischen Kontakts (72) entsprechend ungefähr der Länge und Breite der Membranelektrodeneinheit (54) entsprechen.
EP04752793.2A 2003-07-30 2004-05-19 Elektrische kontakte für brennstoffzellen Expired - Lifetime EP1652243B1 (de)

Applications Claiming Priority (2)

Application Number Priority Date Filing Date Title
US10/630,156 US7670707B2 (en) 2003-07-30 2003-07-30 Electrical contacts for fuel cells
PCT/US2004/015842 WO2005018014A2 (en) 2003-07-30 2004-05-19 Electrical contacts for fuel cells

Publications (3)

Publication Number Publication Date
EP1652243A2 EP1652243A2 (de) 2006-05-03
EP1652243A4 EP1652243A4 (de) 2008-09-10
EP1652243B1 true EP1652243B1 (de) 2014-05-07

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EP04752793.2A Expired - Lifetime EP1652243B1 (de) 2003-07-30 2004-05-19 Elektrische kontakte für brennstoffzellen

Country Status (6)

Country Link
US (1) US7670707B2 (de)
EP (1) EP1652243B1 (de)
CN (1) CN100433432C (de)
BR (1) BRPI0413012B1 (de)
WO (1) WO2005018014A2 (de)
ZA (1) ZA200600811B (de)

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US7670707B2 (en) 2010-03-02
WO2005018014A3 (en) 2006-07-13
EP1652243A4 (de) 2008-09-10
US20050026020A1 (en) 2005-02-03
ZA200600811B (en) 2009-10-28
EP1652243A2 (de) 2006-05-03
BRPI0413012B1 (pt) 2014-02-11
BRPI0413012A (pt) 2006-10-17
WO2005018014A2 (en) 2005-02-24
CN1871730A (zh) 2006-11-29
CN100433432C (zh) 2008-11-12

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